Services Discovery & Research Customer surveys

Customer surveys

Customer surveys are a fast and effective way to gather insights from a broader audience. They offer a simple but powerful method for collecting high-volume feedback and are especially useful when you need to reach beyond usability testing groups or one-on-one interview participants. Whether used on their own or in tandem with our in-person sessions, customer surveys help us paint a more complete picture of how users experience your product or service, offering a reliable foundation for design decisions.

A scalable approach to feedback

While other, more qualitative focused research methods (like interviews) dig deep into user sentiment, customer surveys allow us to identify patterns across a larger sample size. They help us to confirm trends spotted in other research, identify outliers, and add statistical weight to your decision-making. Because they’re quick to complete, customers are a lot more likely to respond, helping you gather meaningful feedback without placing a heavy burden on your audience too.

Surveys also lower the barrier to participation. They give users a chance to reflect and respond in their own time, often resulting in more honest and thoughtful feedback than you might receive in a moderated setting. And because the data is collected in a consistent format, it’s easy to analyse, compare, and track over time, making surveys a great tool for ongoing insight as your product evolves.

Combining surveys with in-person testing

Surveys work best when used as part of a broader research strategy. For example, following a round of usability testing, we might run a short survey with participants to validate their responses, or distribute the same questions to a wider audience to see if the feedback holds true at scale. This layered approach helps reduce bias, confirm confidence in findings, and make sure that the direction being taken aligns with a broader base of users.

In projects where stakeholder consensus is important, customer surveys also serve as a useful mechanism to gather internal perspectives or uncover differing priorities. Whether you’re launching something new, iterating on an existing service, or assessing the impact of recent changes, survey insights are a simple yet powerful addition to the discovery process.

Measuring usability with SUS

One of the most reliable tools we use in customer surveys is the System Usability Scale (SUS); SUS is a standardised 10-question survey designed to measure perceived usability. It’s widely used across the industry, making it easy to benchmark against other products and previous rounds of testing.

We typically use SUS after users have had a chance to explore the product thoroughly, ensuring their answers are based on genuine experience rather than first impressions. The questionnaire alternates between positive and negative statements, helping to minimise bias. Responses are given on a 5-point scale from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.”

Lower scores highlight potential issues that may require further exploration or design intervention. Because SUS is standardised, it’s especially helpful for measuring improvements over time, giving teams a tangible way to track progress and understand how their product is performing from a user’s point of view.

Lightweight, high-impact insight

Customer surveys are one of the most accessible ways to gather insight quickly and at scale. They’re easy to set up, easy to distribute, and easy to interpret — all while delivering meaningful feedback that supports better, more confident design decisions. Whether used as a follow-up to in-depth research or as a standalone check-in with your audience, surveys help ensure you’re continuously listening, learning, and improving in response to real user needs.

FAQs

What types of customer surveys do you run (e.g. SUS, custom questionnaires, pulse surveys)?

We offer a variety of customer survey types tailored to different project needs. This includes the System Usability Scale (SUS), a widely recognised, standardised questionnaire that measures usability across key dimensions. Alongside SUS, we design custom questionnaires that can be tailored to specific research goals or product features. We also run pulse surveys—short, frequent surveys aimed at tracking user sentiment and performance over time. This flexibility ensures we gather the right type of feedback to support your unique business objectives at the right time.

How does the System Usability Scale (SUS) work, and why do you use it?

The System Usability Scale is a quick, reliable tool consisting of 10 questions with alternating positive and negative statements, rated on a 5-point scale. Once responses are gathered, a standard scoring process converts the data into a usability score out of 100, where scores above 70 typically indicate good usability. We use SUS because it provides a consistent, benchmarked way to quantify user perceptions of usability, making it easier to track improvements and compare your product against industry standards. It’s a low-effort, high-impact method that complements more qualitative feedback from other research methods.

What kind of insights can I expect to gain from a customer survey?

Customer surveys provide a broad and statistically relevant snapshot of user attitudes, satisfaction, and pain points. You can expect to uncover validated feedback on usability, feature effectiveness, and overall user experience. These insights help foster consensus across wider audiences, guide strategic decisions, and pinpoint areas for improvement. Surveys are particularly useful for identifying patterns and trends that might be missed through smaller sample sizes, ensuring your recommendations and product changes are grounded in reliable data.

Do you handle survey distribution and analysis, or just the design?

At Full Clarity, we offer end-to-end support with customer surveys, including survey design, distribution, and data analysis. We manage the logistics of reaching your target audience, whether through email, embedded forms, or third-party survey platforms. Once data is collected, we consolidate and interpret the results, delivering clear reports with actionable recommendations. This full-service approach removes the burden from your team and ensures the insights are efficiently gathered and expertly applied.